To those of you considering this profession

[wooferdog]

This site is a relatively unbiased read.

A must read for those considering becoming a professional pilot.

http://thetruthabouttheprofession.weebly.com/index.html

 

[pilotyip]

First off, it is not necessary to go to a 4-yr college right out of high school to end up at a major airline. Because college has nothing to do with flying an airplane, now I will admit it may have an effect on getting an interview and hired after you have 1000's of hour flying someplace else that could give a hoot about a college degree. This following example in the model of success in pursing flying job. We hired a 20 year old pilot about 6 years ago. He had 1 year of on-line college credit completed. He had started working the ramp pumping gas in high school, got hired hauling cargo in SA-227 as an F/O for no pay, at 18, got promoted to 208 Capt. at age 20. Whne we hired him, he had 1600 TT, 1100 MEL, 350 Turbine PIC, 1450 total turbine. He is started as a DA-20 F/O at $33K/yr, he made a DA-20 Capt. At age 23. His on-line degree in Aviation Management was completed by the time he was 26 years old. At that time he had 4000 TT, 2800 MEL, 2800 Turbine, 2000 hours 121 time, 1200 121 Turbo Jet PIC. He has his on-line BS degree in Aviation Management, and no debt. He interviewed with a major and was offered a job. The traditional 4-yr. degree guy at age 26 who has 1200 TT 350 MEL 15 Turbine was not offered an interview. Who is the more competitive? Remember you enter this career because you like to fly airplanes, hang around airports and drink beer with other pilots.

 

[wooferdog]

First off, it is not necessary to go to a 4-yr college right out of high school to end up at a major airline. Because college has nothing to do with flying an airplane, now I will admit it may have an effect on getting an interview and hired after you have 1000's of hour flying someplace else that could give a hoot about a college degree. This following example in the model of success in pursing flying job. We hired a 20 year old pilot about 6 years ago. He had 1 year of on-line college credit completed. He had started working the ramp pumping gas in high school, got hired hauling cargo in SA-227 as an F/O for no pay, at 18, got promoted to 208 Capt. at age 20. Whne we hired him, he had 1600 TT, 1100 MEL, 350 Turbine PIC, 1450 total turbine. He is started as a DA-20 F/O at $33K/yr, he made a DA-20 Capt. At age 23. His on-line degree in Aviation Management was completed by the time he was 26 years old. At that time he had 4000 TT, 2800 MEL, 2800 Turbine, 2000 hours 121 time, 1200 121 Turbo Jet PIC. He has his on-line BS degree in Aviation Management, and no debt. He interviewed with a major and was offered a job. The traditional 4-yr. degree guy at age 26 who has 1200 TT 350 MEL 15 Turbine was not offered an interview. Who is the more competitive? Remember you enter this career because you like to fly airplanes, hang around airports and drink beer with other pilots.

He's the exception, though, YIP. You've been around long enough to know that.

 

[pilotyip]

many many ways

He's the exception, though, YIP. You've been around long enough to know that.

Yes he is the exception, he took the path less likely traveled, but he was successful and anyone with the same level of intelligence, discipline and foresight could also make it. There are many ways to skin this aviation career that is only one of them. But before some one plunges into $100K in debt to become a pilot at a four-year aviation college they should consider all options, of course including the military.

 

[JAFI]

IMHO a degree in Aviation is pretty much worthless in the event you lose a pilot job. Get some training outside of aviation. I recommend a trade school, nurse, brick layer, or any "other" career path that has little to do with airplanes. A degree means that you can be trained. A "other" field means that you can still pay the bills during a downturn.



I have told this story before but it may fit in here....

I was at a small flight club and a young man walked up to me and asked if I was an Instructor. I said I am an Instructor, but I do not work at this school, I said "can I help you with a question you have". I see what turned out to be his parents walk up behind him as he puffs out his chest and asks: What is the most important license I should get? I looked at him and said "get your real estate license or into a trade you can move around with". He and his parents look at me like I had three heads. I said "You are going to be laid off at least once as a pilot and you need a back up to feed your self". They all walked away.

When I tell this to young pilots they tell me I am cruel. When I tell the story to pilots that have been through the ringer they agree with me.

 

[AC560]

got hired hauling cargo in SA-227 as an F/O for no pay

.....

 

[pilotyip]

You have never heard of that?

.....

they were out there, may still be

IMHO a degree in Aviation is pretty much worthless in the event you lose a pilot job. Get some training outside of aviation. I recommend a trade school, nurse, brick layer, or any "other" career path that has little to do with airplanes. A degree means that you can be trained. A "other" field means that you can still pay the bills during a downturn.

It the aviation business, you get the college degree to get an interview someplace. It will take approximately 10 years to get to a career position in aviation. You have to commit to the time frame to make it. Now to get one on the side, nothing wrong with that, it is a useful degree helps you understand money, investing, etc. However the fall back value of a college degree in greatly over rated. I have a BS and a Master's in Management, but at age 53, I was making $250/wk loading cargo. After Zantop pretended to go out of went out of business in 1997, I had been a temporary High School Chemistry Teacher up until two weeks before the cargo job came along. However, they do not teach school in the summer so I had to take the cargo job. 53 year old unemployed airline pilots are not eagerly greeted in any industry that I know of, even of having a couple degrees. Of course, I did not apply for many of the "College degree preferred jobs" such as apt manager, telephone direct sales, and plumping floor manager at Home Depot, etc. If you get a college degree you have to use, the knowledge gained in college to develop a career or the degree is useless. After getting a degree, flying an airplane is not a knowledge expanding experience; it is skill development experience. Anyone care to chime in and share their experiences on entering the non-aviation job market after being out of college 20-30 years?

 

[jajthejackson3]

The only thing I can add to this is my son's story. He has wanted to fly since he has flown with me as a small child. He was brave enough, (and smart enough) to get accepted at the Air Force Academy. He graduated from there in '08 and from flight training at Columbus AFB about a month ago. He was tops in his flight school class and that afforded him the luxury of getting his first choice in base and airframe (C-17). He told me the other night that considering the miserable state of the aviation industry as a whole right now, he would probably make the AF a career. Not bad to retire at about 44 years old and have a full retirement...........wish I could have done that.

 

[pilotyip]

The only thing I can add to this is my son's story. He has wanted to fly since he has flown with me as a small child. He was brave enough, (and smart enough) to get accepted at the Air Force Academy. He graduated from there in '08 and from flight training at Columbus AFB about a month ago. He was tops in his flight school class and that afforded him the luxury of getting his first choice in base and airframe (C-17). He told me the other night that considering the miserable state of the aviation industry as a whole right now, he would probably make the AF a career. Not bad to retire at about 44 years old and have a full retirement...........wish I could have done that.

yes but when the hiring boom of 2018 makes him think of "Catch me if you can", the grass always looks a little greener on the outside, seen too many guys do it,

 

[T-1GUY]

Congrats to your son... You must be very proud... I still regret not going to C-17 training. I decided to get out for the easy life. One of the bigger blunders in my life. Young and very naive about civilian aviation. Funny, but I never heard about the horror stories from the guys who left the military. The grass is always greener. Get that check for life, then go play in the "real world"...